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'Unique course is beneficial not just to Sherkin but to the entire West Cork region’ – Mc Ginley
Saturday 6th October, 2012 the Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley TD, will be the special guest at a conferral ceremony for students whom are to receive their degrees from the Dublin Institute of Technology after successful completion of its BA (Hons) in Visual Art. The graduation ceremony will commence at 2.30pm in the Sherkin Island Community Hall which also serves as the students’ campus on the island. Family and friends of the 18 graduating students will make their way to the island for this special occasion.
The BA Visual Art is a community-based, four year, honours degree visual art programme. It is fully accredited, managed and delivered by the Dublin Institute of Technology in partnership with Sherkin Island Development Society (SIDS). West Cork Arts Centre (WCAC) are also key partners in the planning and implementation of the programme. The programme has operated since the late 1990s. Teaching and practical work takes place on the island and is supported by video connections to DIT staff in Dublin. In the period 2007 to 2011 the programme was supported by an annual grant of €53,600 from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Recently, the Department has agreed to provide 50% of the grant that allows the course to continue with the other 50% coming from Cork County Council. This has enabled a further group of students to begin their 4 year degree on Sherkin Island in September this year.
Speaking in advance of the conferring ceremony Minister McGinley said “It is a great privilege to be invited to participate in this graduation ceremony. These are a talented group of people and the success of their exhibition which was held on the island in May illustrated this. I am pleased that my Department is in a position to continue part-funding this unique course which is beneficial not just to Sherkin but to the entire West Cork region. Finally, I want to wish all the graduates continued success and hope that they have many opportunities to build on their achievement in the future."